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His smile proved contagious, because my lips lifted in response. “I’m J891.”
“That’s not a name. You deserve something pretty, like Amelia or Jessica.”
“Me?” My cheeks felt a heat that had nothing to do with temperature.
“Yes, you. Don’t ever think you’re not special.” He clasped my hands.
The flutters in my tummy weren’t nausea. “How can you say I’m special? Until yesterday morning, I was just a Gray.”
“Becausetheychose your life. It doesn’t have to be that way.”
“What other way is there?”
“I am working for a world where there are no colors. Where people make their own choices. You can help me toward that goal.”
“How?”
“It starts with getting the message to the right person.” He pressed something into my hand. “When the time is right, give this to the commander.”
I glanced at the small box. “What is it?”
“A surprise gift that will help lead to a classless society.”
It sounded innocuous enough. I nodded. “Okay.”
“Thank you.” He squeezed my hand and offered me an encouraging smile that heated me.
“You’re welcome, but how will I know when the time is right?”
“I’ll be in touch.” He shifted away from me as he let go. “I have to leave now. If anyone asks, a maintenance person came to see if you were okay. If they ask for a description, tell them I was bald and green-eyed.”
“That would be a lie.”
“If you give them the truth, I’ll die.” He made that stark announcement as he went through the door.
Whir. Click.Little machines emerged from hiding to begin cleaning the mess of the powder that had put out the flames.
I’d barely had time to turn over the box in my hands and wonder at its content when the portal opened again. The commander entered and barked, “What the fuck did you do?”
I had the presence of mind to tuck my hands and the object behind my back. “I had an accident.”
He glanced at me and his oversized chair. “You set my couch on fire!”
“Kind of.”
“Why would you do that?”
I didn’t like his tone. “This is what happens when you leave me alone without a job.”
“You’re blaming me?” A high note ended his query.
Despite knowing it was sassy, I said, “Yes.”
Apparently, that rebuke didn’t sit well with him. He raked his fingers through his hair. “Un-fucking-believable. Go get cleaned up.”
No point in arguing since I could use a shower and a chance to hide the object Silas had given me.
I fled to my room and hid the box under the soft lumps on my bed before I stripped and placed the clothing in the recycling chute. Naked, I stepped into the shower and chose the cleansing lasers, which had a more familiar feel to them than the liquid stuff. Upon emerging, I didn’t find any clothing on my bed. I glanced at the wall, the ceiling. Nothing appeared.
